Broadband network operators, such as multiple system operators (MSOs), distribute and deliver services and content, such as video, audio, and multimedia content, to subscribers or end-users. For example, a broadband cable network MSO may utilize resources for transmitting digital video broadcasts in standard definition or high definition so-called legacy formats, or Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) formats to provide linear and non-linear services, and the like. Existing network infrastructure typically has a finite amount of bandwidth to provide these services as well as other over-the-top or like services. As new methods of video transmission, such as LTE broadcast or IPTV, enter into operators' networks, resources need to be allocated efficiently between new capabilities and legacy methods.
With respect to delivering services, delivery can be accomplished in a variety of manners, such as in a broadcast mode, a switched mode, an on-demand mode, or the like. In broadcast mode, all channels, programs, or linear (i.e., scheduled) content are simultaneously broadcast to all subscribers in a pre-defined service group. In a switched mode, only channels, programs, or linear (i.e., scheduled) content having active viewers may be broadcast. In on-demand mode, non-linear content may be provided upon specific viewer request by way of switched unicast or multicast delivery.
At the customer premises or location, a population of differently-configured client devices may be operatively connected in some form to receive content over the network. For example, client devices may include legacy set top boxes (STBs) or like customer premises equipment (i.e., without IP or IPTV capabilities), IP-enabled STBs or like customer premises equipment, IPTV STBs or like customer premises equipment, computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones and the like. The capabilities of the population of client devices may vary greatly with respect to IPTV-enablement, encoding/decoding, encrypting/decrypting, packaging, transcoding and the like.
In particular, the distribution of video services using IPTV protocols and transmission methods has increased over time and this trend is expected to continue to the extent that IPTV may become the standard in the future. While IPTV distribution can be accomplished using existing infrastructure of most network operators, such existing infrastructure may not have necessarily been designed for such use. Further, new IPTV transmission methods, such as LTE broadcast, might not even travel over the current wired networks.
In another example, a typical hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) plant of a cable network operator may accommodate a pre-determined finite number of Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) channels which can be used to carry legacy digital video (non-IPTV) or digital data (IPTV) content streams. As MSOs move to increased IPTV distribution and support greater numbers of new and different client devices with different capabilities, existing non-IPTV customer premise equipment in millions of homes must still be accommodated and, when new IPTV equipment is deployed in the network, it must be able to offer at least the same level of services offered to non-IPTV legacy customers as well as the additional IPTV services.
During the above referenced expected transition, an approach to accomplish this may be to deliver IPTV content, such as linear content, over existing infrastructure that also simulcasts or duplicates legacy (non-IPTV) linear content streams. Another approach may be to deliver given content as an IPTV content stream over the network only when needed by unicast or multicast to specific IPTV subscribers. Both of these approaches inherently may require significant network bandwidth, possibly beyond that of existing infrastructure, particularly as IPTV subscriptions increase.